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Hello, I may be relocating due to a job in Clinton CT. I am wondering about any towns that would be "commutable" that are fairly large. everything around there seems pretty small. We love west hartford but that is too far. Is there anything similar to that closer? even if not as big, but maybe the same young, fun feel?? Some we are considering through research are... Branford, Guilford, North Haven(maybe too far) and Milford sounds nice but i think too far too. how about Middletown?

Middletown is definitely a "young and fun" feel. But the commute would be at least a half hour, if you don't mind that. Kidyankee764's suggestions are good too, but IMO they are not as "young and fun" as Middletown.

Branford. A little younger crowd than Guilford and Madison, and more shopping and whatnot - also near downtown New Haven. Milford fits the bill but you dont want to go through New Haven at rush hour while they're rebuilding that whole interchange. It won't be free of bad traffic and construction until at least 2016.

Middletown would definitely work for you. As a beach lover and former M-town resident I can tell you clinton will run you about a half hour from the cromwell/east berlin section of middletown. Further toward the durham line will be a lot quicker to getting to clinton. You may want to look into east haddam...you can be in Clinton in 15 minutes and middletown in 15 minutes. Also there is expected to be some development there over the next few years and there are a few restaurants and the like there now.

Middletown is definitely a "young and fun" feel. But the commute would be at least a half hour, if you don't mind that. Kidyankee764's suggestions are good too, but IMO they are not as "young and fun" as Middletown.

Funny you refer to Middletown as "young and fun," when just a few months ago you were calling it "ghetto" and "run-down." Makes you wonder.

Middletown is about 25 miles from Clinton but is is mostly backroads so you commute would be about 30 to 40 minutes depending where you live and where you work. Middletown is similar to West Hartford in that it has downtown area with a lot of shops and restaurants but it is not as upscale. It is home to Wesleyan University which helps keep it feeling young and there are a lot of apartments there. I would suggest you live in the south end to minimize your commute. It is a very nice area and I believe less expensive since it is not as accessible to major highways.

Another option you may want to consider is New Haven. There is a lot to do there for young people and it is about 30 minutes away as well. Being a major city though you do have to be careful where you live. I also think Branford is a great option and personally I would be looking there. Jay

I live in Branford now and moved here from Westbrook which is the town right next to Clinton I could literally see the you are now entering Clinton sign from my drive way. Anyways, Clinton, Madison, Westbrook, Guilford are all nice towns, especially in the summer with the beaches and what not. But the key word is "towns" there is NOTHING to do there except the beaches, so in the winter you are screwed. I would recommend Branford, possibly Old Saybrook depending on what exactly you mean by "young, fun feel". I never got that feeling from West Hartford, so we might have a totally different idea about things here. I personally don't think you will get a young feel from anywhere in the Clinton area, it's old money. The summers it kind of changes a little. Someone mentioned Middletown, I wouldn't live in Middletown if someone paid me. The downtown area is seedy, especially at night. Your commute would most likely be Rt. 9, which is quite possibly the worst highway in the state. You could take back roads, but they are serious back roads, like you lose cell service out there type back roads and they are the last to get plowed in the winter. The Cromwell side of Mtown is better, but then you have to add an extra 15 or so minutes to your morning and afternoon commute depending on how bad Rt. 66 is. Milford would be an impossible commute. You can count on at least an hour, sometimes worse and that's assuming you live near the Milford/Orange line. Branford is the best option, there are a lot of restaurants, bars, stores, there are beaches and Hammonassett is only like 15 minutes away as are West Haven Beaches. We also have tons of parks and it's really safe considering it's proximity to New Haven. The schools are really good too. But it's not cheap and the taxes are up there if you are looking to buy. Another possibility might be North Haven or Hamden. They are both north of New Haven and they both have a ton of stuff to do, with the exception of beaches. You could avoid most of the traffic from these two areas by jumping on Foxon Rd and heading east towards North Branford to get to Clinton. I am leaving this ridiculous state in December, so I might not be the one to ask I guess, just my 2 cents.

thanks for the info guys. how does middletown compare to west hartford? similarities? differences? just to get an idea compared to a place we know.

I personally feel like it shares little in common, except maybe the fact that it has a well defined downtown.

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